I enjoy finding new and interesting storage products for my finished projects. It is even better when the
product has problem solving applications like the "Card Album". At first glance, it is not very impressive looking. However, Stefanie Girard (designer & patent holder), who is a friend of mine, is pretty patient so she took the time to explained how the Card Album worked and the reason for the design.
The Card Album was created for people like me who like to make their own cards. In the past when I made a card I would stick in a file or in a drawer. More often than not, the handmade card would get squished, bent, or even misplaced. To avoid this type of dissapointment, Stefanie Girard (author of
"Sweater Surgery" ) created a special elastibind construction on the "Card Album" to hold greeting cards and other projects for crafters and artists alike.
She wanted to create an organized solution for folks to be able to store their handmade greeting cards with having them become damaged or misplaced. She also recycles envelopes and uses them in these
binders to hold an assortment of different items.
The fun did not stop there, when I attended a "Card Album" decorating class at the winter CHA show, we decorated the outside of these cool card albums with die cuts, stickers, buttons and other ephemera. Since the decorative craft class was offered at the CHA show there was an amazing assortment of items (both cool tools, fun decorative embellishments, and other tidbits) available to use.
Stefanie showed us how we can uses our altered art supplies, scrapbooking supplies, etc. to decorate the outside of the Card Album to reflect our own artistic style. If you can not attend one her classes, she does have a blog (The Card Album Blog) where she often posts card making ideas.
Rubber stamps work great on these. The stamped image, on the above Card Album is done using "StazOn" ink which works great on so many surfaces.
The next album I decorated I wanted to have a halloween theme. I found some cool templates on the "Martha Stewart" crafting site to use. I printed out the witch silhoutte and used it as a template to cut out the witch using some card stock. The templates have some really convenient measurements so you can adjust the print to the size you need (on your computer).
Then I used a glue stick to attach the witch to the book cover. It stayed on really well which surprised
me since glue stick glue does not always hold well on plastic. I also used my Martha Stewart punch around the page "crackle" punch to outline the cover. I love her punches and will use them in any craft I can.
It was a simple craft project that did not take a lot of time or supplies. I only used items that I had on hand and I was pleased that it came out just the way I wanted it to. Now I can store my halloween theme cards in this book. Below is the second book I decorated to hold more cards.
I have a tendency to save the special cards that friends have made me over the years. Each one holds a special memory for me and I treasure these mementos. The card album offers me a great way to store these cards, yet have easy access to them when I want to look through my collections.
All in all, I really like this Card Album. Stefanie was happy to sell me a few to hold my favorite treasures. At a price of $9.95 it is an affordable way to display and hold both my own handmade cards and those so given to me.
Do you make handmade cards? What are some of your favorite cards that you have received? Do you store these treasures or do you re-use them in crafting?
Disclosure
product has problem solving applications like the "Card Album". At first glance, it is not very impressive looking. However, Stefanie Girard (designer & patent holder), who is a friend of mine, is pretty patient so she took the time to explained how the Card Album worked and the reason for the design.
 |
| The Card Album |
"Sweater Surgery" ) created a special elastibind construction on the "Card Album" to hold greeting cards and other projects for crafters and artists alike.
She wanted to create an organized solution for folks to be able to store their handmade greeting cards with having them become damaged or misplaced. She also recycles envelopes and uses them in these
binders to hold an assortment of different items.
 |
| View of how the Card Album holds cards. |
The Card Album holds up to 24 of 5x7 cards even if you have a variety of different sized handmade cards. I likehow easily this systems allows me to keep my cards organized and accessable. You insert
the finished or even unfinished card through the band and its stays in place until you need it again.
 |
| View of back pocket and banding on the Card Album |
the finished or even unfinished card through the band and its stays in place until you need it again.
 |
| Showing the album holding 5x7 cards |
Rubber stamps work great on these. The stamped image, on the above Card Album is done using "StazOn" ink which works great on so many surfaces.
The next album I decorated I wanted to have a halloween theme. I found some cool templates on the "Martha Stewart" crafting site to use. I printed out the witch silhoutte and used it as a template to cut out the witch using some card stock. The templates have some really convenient measurements so you can adjust the print to the size you need (on your computer).
 |
| Witch Silhoutte from Martha Stewart crafts |
Then I used a glue stick to attach the witch to the book cover. It stayed on really well which surprised
me since glue stick glue does not always hold well on plastic. I also used my Martha Stewart punch around the page "crackle" punch to outline the cover. I love her punches and will use them in any craft I can.
It was a simple craft project that did not take a lot of time or supplies. I only used items that I had on hand and I was pleased that it came out just the way I wanted it to. Now I can store my halloween theme cards in this book. Below is the second book I decorated to hold more cards.
I have a tendency to save the special cards that friends have made me over the years. Each one holds a special memory for me and I treasure these mementos. The card album offers me a great way to store these cards, yet have easy access to them when I want to look through my collections.
All in all, I really like this Card Album. Stefanie was happy to sell me a few to hold my favorite treasures. At a price of $9.95 it is an affordable way to display and hold both my own handmade cards and those so given to me.
Do you make handmade cards? What are some of your favorite cards that you have received? Do you store these treasures or do you re-use them in crafting?
Disclosure
